


Socks

by Likelightinglass



Series: Severitus Drabbles [4]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Fluff, Gen, Severitus | Severus Snape is Harry Potter's Parent, Short & Sweet
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-31
Updated: 2020-08-31
Packaged: 2021-03-06 21:34:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 841
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26205754
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Likelightinglass/pseuds/Likelightinglass
Summary: Severus is running late, and Harry can't find his socks.
Relationships: Harry Potter & Severus Snape
Series: Severitus Drabbles [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1531802
Comments: 32
Kudos: 228





	Socks

**Author's Note:**

> Just a little something short. I was missing this AU and wanted to jump back into it for a minute. Thanks to bleedcolor for the prompt.

"Harry! Are you finished getting ready yet?" Severus called out after checking the clock on the mantle. He had gathered up Harry's schoolbooks and a packed lunch into the boy's knapsack, and was waiting for him beside the Floo. "We can't keep Mrs. Weasley waiting all day and I have a class to teach."

"I can't find my socks!" Came the voice from the other side of Severus' quarters.

Severus made his way into the boy's bedroom. "What do you mean you can't find your socks? Why aren't they in your sock drawer?"

"I dunno," Harry replied with a shrug. At least he was out of his pyjamas and dressed. 

"Well, that's where they should be," Severus said with a frown. He glanced at his watch. They didn't have time for missing socks. He had to Floo the boy over to Molly's house for his homeschooling and return to teach third year Hufflepuffs and Slytherins by eight. 

"Well, they aren't," Harry replied petulantly, arms crossed in front of him and his lips pursed in a scowl. Severus fought back a laugh. A scowling seven year old didn't look nearly as intimidating as he probably thought he did.

"Well, I can't imagine they just walked away, now did they?"

"Maybe they did. You said it was okay that strange things sometimes happen to me, because I'm a wizard." Harry stuck his chin up, obviously proud of himself for his deductive reasoning. 

"Harry, that's not what I meant by that and you know it." He rolled his eyes. "Oh, I'll just give you a pair of mine." He summoned a pair of socks from his room with a quick wave of his wand, and with a quick incantation resized them to fit a child. 

Harry had that wide eyed look of wonder he always had when magic was performed right in front of him. His face broke out into a grin. "I love magic," he said with a whisper. Harry was still new to the wizarding world, but Severus secretly hoped he never lost that look of childlike delight. 

"So do I," he replied softly. "Now, put these on, and your shoes. It's time to go."

Harry didn't move to retrieve them. "But they're black."

"What's wrong with black?"

"It's boring. Can you do magic again and make them different?" Harry said with a pleading look.

Severus did not have time to indulge these ridiculous requests and should have just snapped at the brat, but something about the look on his face made him acquiesce. "What color would you like?"

"Umm…" Harry thought for a moment. "What's your favorite color?"

"Black."

It was very difficult for Severus to hide his smile at the boy's withering gaze. 

"What's your _second_ favorite?"

"Green," Severus replied after a moment.

"Is that because you're the Head of Slytherin?"

"Yes," Severus said. "And I think it's a very nice color, don't you?" At Harry's nod, Severus charmed the socks green. He knelt on the floor and helped Harry into them, summoning the shoes as well. 

"When I turn 11, am I going to be in Slytherin like you?" 

"Hmm," Severus said. "It's possible." The boy was certainly cunning enough where he was concerned, but the sheer recklessness of the energetic seven year old put him squarely on the path of the house of the lions. "Your family was in Gryffindor, though, remember I told you that? I expect you might follow in their footsteps. 

"Gryffindor is red, right?" Severus hummed an affirmative in reply, ushering him out towards the Floo and checking his watch again. 

"Wait!" Harry said, coming to a stop on the living room rug. He stuck his left foot up. "Can you make this one red? Please?"

Severus muttered the color changing charm and flicked his wand. "Why? Now you look like Christmas."

"I do!" Harry said with a laugh, apparently mistaking Severus' comment for a compliment. "Now I have a green sock for Slytherin and a red sock for Gryffindor."

"But why both?" 

Harry just tilted his head. "For my family."

"Your mother and father were both in Gryffindor," Severus said, not understanding why the boy was insisting on mismatched socks of the purpose was a tribute of sorts to James and Lily.

"Yeah," Harry said. He pointed at the left sock. "For my mum and dad." He indicated the right foot clad in green. "And for you."

"Oh," was all Severus could say over the rising lump in his throat. 

Harry looked momentarily uncertain. "We're a family too, right, sir?"

"That's exactly right, Harry." Severus said definitively. He didn't want the boy to think for a second that he was being rejected, though the sudden finality of the word "family" filled him with amazement. "Now let's get you to school," he said, tousling the boy's hair affectionately and leading him through the Floo. 

_Family_ , Severus couldn't help but repeat over and over in his head, smiling as he held tight to the boy on their journey through the Floo network. _We're a family._


End file.
